He says Aboriginal people use leaves of Eremophila plants, which grow in Australia's desert areas, to make ointments for skin abrasions and gargles for throat infections.

Griesser and team extracted eleven compounds called "serrulatane diterpenes" from the leaves of Eremophila and found they had the same bacterial killing power as established antibiotics.

The researchers then developed a method of permanently bonding the compounds to plastic and metal materials used to make implants such as catheters, heart valves, hip or knee implants.

Griesser says antibacterial coatings on implants are important, because these devices provide a perfect site for bacteria to become established.

He adds this could lead to serious infection or death of the implant recipient.

"If someone in their 70s has an artificial hip inserted and then they have an inflammation and have to go back to get the hip taken out and another put in, that's traumatic for someone who is already compromised health wise," says Griesser.

He says the problem with traditional antibiotics like penicillin is they don't work well when they're on the surface of a biomedical device.

In tests using Staphyloccocus epidermis over 48 hours, the team found a very thin layer of the antibacterial coating stopped nearly all bacteria from attaching to the devices.